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Connecting Families to RBSK and DEIC: An ASHA Guide
ASHA workers connect families to RBSK and DEIC by identifying children with possible delay or disability during community screening, routing them through the ANM and Anganwadi worker to the RBSK Mobile Health Team, referring confirmed concerns to the District Early Intervention Centre, and following up to ensure the family reaches care — all free for children 0–18 years.
In this answer 5 sections
An ASHA worker is often the first person a family trusts with a worry about their child — and the bridge to the support the State has already built for them.
In short
As an ASHA worker you connect families to RBSK (Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram — the child health screening programme) and DEIC (District Early Intervention Centre) through your routine community screening and the existing referral chain. When you spot a child with a possible delay or disability, you record the concern, refer them to the nearest RBSK Mobile Health Team or DEIC through your ANM/Anganwadi worker, and follow up to make sure the family actually reaches the centre — all four D's (Defects at birth, Deficiencies, Diseases, Developmental delays including disability) are covered free of cost for children 0–18 years.
The step-by-step pathway
1. Identify and record. During home visits, VHSND sessions and Anganwadi rounds, note any child with delayed milestones, feeding difficulty, visible birth defect, hearing or vision concern, or a parent's persistent worry. Your observation is a valid first screen.
2. Route through the RBSK team. Coordinate with the ANM and Anganwadi Worker so the child is screened by the RBSK Mobile Health Team at the next Anganwadi or school visit. Newborns are screened at the facility; 0–6 year olds at the Anganwadi; 6–18 year olds at government and aided schools.
3. Refer onward to DEIC. Children flagged with a confirmed or suspected developmental delay or disability are referred to the District Early Intervention Centre (DEIC) at the District Hospital, where a team (paediatrician, therapists, special educator, audiologist) assesses and starts early intervention — all free.
4. Close the loop. The biggest gap is families who get referred but never reach the centre. Accompany or follow up — note the appointment, arrange transport support where available, and confirm the child was seen. Your follow-up is what turns a referral into care.
When to also think beyond government services
RBSK/DEIC is the right first route for every family. If a family seeks additional structured therapy, or lives far from a DEIC, you can also guide them to a specialist developmental centre for assessment and a therapy plan — the two pathways complement each other, never compete.
The Pinnacle way
A child's clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are established only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre, by qualified clinicians — never from a screening visit or an app. ASHA and Anganwadi screening identifies who needs a closer look; the formal assessment then gives the family clarity and a plan. Learn how the structured clinician assessment works, explore speech therapy for children with communication delays, and start from our network of support.
Trusted sources
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare guidance on child health screening and early intervention (RBSK and DEIC framework); WHO and Nurturing Care Framework on early childhood development and community-based screening; AAP guidance on developmental surveillance.
Next step — Spotted a child who needs a closer look? Refer through your RBSK team today, and for a structured developmental assessment, a Pinnacle clinician can help.
This is general information, not a diagnosis — individual assessment and diagnosis require an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
CONNECT THE ANSWER TO YOUR CHILD’S DAY
Something to notice. Something to discuss.
What to notice
Children who are referred but never reach the DEIC — transport, distance and lost paperwork are the commonest reasons referrals fail. Your follow-up after referral is what turns a flagged child into a child who actually receives early intervention.
In everyday life
Keep a simple notebook of every child you refer — name, concern, date, and which team they were sent to — then tick them off when they reach the DEIC. This one habit closes the gap between referral and care.
Bring your observations and questions to your child’s professional. Choose activities that suit your child’s comfort, abilities and agreed plan.
Bring your questions to a first visitQuestions families ask
What age group does RBSK cover?
RBSK covers children from birth to 18 years, screening for the four D's — Defects at birth, Deficiencies, Diseases, and Developmental delays including disability — with services provided free of cost.
What is the difference between RBSK and DEIC?
RBSK is the national child health screening programme that identifies children needing care through Mobile Health Teams. DEIC is the District Early Intervention Centre at the District Hospital where flagged children receive detailed assessment and early intervention services.
Who do I coordinate with to arrange an RBSK screening?
Coordinate with your ANM and Anganwadi Worker so the child is seen by the RBSK Mobile Health Team during the next Anganwadi visit (for 0–6 years) or school visit (for 6–18 years). Newborns are screened at the delivery facility.
Can a family use both government services and a specialist centre?
Yes. RBSK and DEIC are the right first route and are free. If a family wants additional structured therapy or lives far from a DEIC, a specialist developmental centre can complement that care with assessment and a therapy plan.
FOLLOW THE SOURCE
References behind this answer.
- Organisation website · further readingNurturing Care Framework — early childhood development
- Organisation website · further readingWHO — child health and developmental screening
- Organisation website · further readingAAP HealthyChildren — developmental surveillance
References are supplied with this answer. An organisation homepage offers further reading; it does not establish an independent review of this page.
Content attribution: SETU Consortium · Pinnacle Blooms Network.
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